Texas wildlife agency unveils mountain lion research and monitoring plan; commission directs staff to explore mandatory harvest reporting

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission on Nov. 6 received a final draft of the Texas Mountain Lion Research and Monitoring Plan that prioritizes research and regular monitoring because fundamental population data for mountain lions are currently lacking.

The plan, presented by Jonah Evans, nongame and rare species program leader in the department's wildlife division, lays out a 10-year framework centered on data collection, an integrated population model to estimate numbers over time, and a five-year progress review. Evans said past Texas studies showed human-caused mortality — primarily harvest — is the dominant source of lion deaths and that reliable harvest data are essential for accurate population models.

"For several decades, people have recognized that the department needed accurate data on mountain lion populations," Evans said. "Without…